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Open LibraryAbout this book
**From Amazon.com:** A sparkling and profound consideration of women and power: the power of intellect, of money, of integrity, and of loyalty, love and self-respect. “If I have a bias it is in my suspicion that women are intellectually and intuitively superior to men,” writes Christopher Gates, the elegant, sharp-tongued narrator of this book. “But,” he adds, “I certainly never thought they were ‘nicer.’ And I very much doubt that anyone could think so who was raised, as I was, in a society in which the female had so many more privileges than the male.” And so he begins to describe the twelve women who—as debutantes— instituted his mother’s “book class” in 1908 and with admirable tenacity met every month for over sixty years to discuss a selected title, old or new. Certainly during their lifetimes these women did not have any real political or economic clout comparable to that of the men of their day. Only Adeline Bloodgood had ever held a regular job, and only Polly Travers, as a State Assemblywoman, ever played a formal role in politics. For Georgia Bristed, “the hostess had largely consumed the woman,” and Leila Lee was “a beauty in a day when simply being beautiful was considered an adequate occupation.” And yet, although most of them were surrounded by a staff of servants and had no discernible responsibilities, these women still lived their lives with serious intent backed by a considerable and undeniable power that in no way derived from "the snares and lures of womanly wiles.” Within the protected discipline of their surroundings, their lives were fille…
Themes & subjects
FictionGayLarge type booksNew york (n.y.), fictionFiction, historical, general
First published 1984Setting
New York (N.Y.)
About the author
Louis Auchincloss
27 September 1917 – 26 January 2010
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